Ocean's Heart
by C.lupus-sekirei
Summary: A different interpretation on how Minato gets involved in the world of Sekirei. Story is hopefully much better than the summary. Spacing issues only last until the first two chapters.
1. Tsukiumi

It was another disappointing end to the examinations for Sahashi Minato, yet again he failed to get into Tokyo University. He had black hair, and he wasn't anything special, he even dressed plainly in just jeans and a long sleeved shirt. It was a pattern that was quickly becoming apparent. He was an above average student who aced his way through elementary and high school, but his lack of confidence is really his biggest hurdle.  
>"Sorry ka-chan, I didn't get in this year either." he exclaimed to his mother through the phone. Failing the entrance exam for the second year running will destroy anyone's morale.<br>"Why don't you just get home!" his mother answered him. That was his mother all right, a tough and no nonsense woman, partly responsible for his belligerent lack of confidence.  
>"I... I want to try again." Minato said to his mother, hoping that she support her rounin of a son.<br>"Fine, but I'm cutting your allowance by half!" his mother said as she shut her phone down. Sighing he started walking away from the results board, towards the outside of the university campus, and probably to his boarding house. Seemed like a good plan to him at the time; he didn't have enough money to do anything anyway. As he was walking minding his own business he heard a voice, rather a voice yelling at him to get out of it's way. He looked around and so no one coming towards him... that was until he was hit by a soft thing coming from above.  
>"You ignorant monkey!" it yelled at him. It's teeth grinding together.<br>"Ouch, uhh, who are you?" Minato managed to say before he was picked up by the the collar of his short and shaken furiously.  
>"You dare ask my name you vile monkey!" it turns out that the soft thing was actually a woman, and a beautiful one at that. She had long blond hair, deep blue eyes, ample breasts, and a gorgeous figure, she was wearing a black dress that just took a good breeze for her skirt to be lifted. If it wasn't for the fact that he was being shaken like a rag doll, Minato would have been drooling just looking at her. He was looking at her in awe, while she on the other hand had a look of distaste.<br>"I, I'm sorry if I have offended you in anyway." Minato apologized to the girl, which much to his relief, set him down. Strangely, she had a blush on her face which only accentuated her appeal for Minato. The boy, due to the girl's blush stared at her in even more awe, he could feel that his own features also started to develop a blush.  
>"Wha... What are you looking at?" the woman said to him angrily, her deep blue eyes staring daggers at him.<br>"I, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare." Minato said as he set his eyes to the ground and he scratched the back of his head. The girl on the other hand was having a conversation within herself.'Who is this monkey? Why is he having this effect on me?' she asked herself. 'Could he be... my ashikabi?'.  
>"You, You're him aren't you? You're my ashikabi!" she shouted at him with even greater distaste.<br>"What's an ashikabi?" he asked at her a small smile on his lips. He was hoping that she wouldn't kill him.  
>"It doesn't matter! All you ashikabis are the same! All you want to do is to take advantage of us sekirei!" she shouted again; she started to form a ball of water on her right hand while she looked at Minato angrily. "I'll kill you even before you get a chance to touch me!" she declared again. Before she can hurl the water ball at Minato she was struck by lightning; she should have been hurt badly but she managed to stand up.<br>"Are the two of you ever going to fight fair?" she turned her attention towards two other women, who seemed to be twins wearing what could be described as bedroom leather.  
>"Just give up number 9, go back to M.B.I!" One of the twins started.<br>"Hikari, I think we should just give up, she's a single number after all." the other less hot tempered twin said.  
>"We got her cornered Hibiki, we can beat her." the other one, Hikari, said to her sister Hibiki.<br>"You shameless hussy! I'll definitely hurt both of you!" the blonde said to the twins. Minato couldn't understand much of what;s happening but he knew it was only a matter of time before the twins beat the other one, they somehow could control lightning, while the blond uses water; which conducts electricity nicely. He barely had time to blink before another lightning attack hit the blond dead on. Minato wondered why she didn't dodge the attack but as he looked at her legs he noticed that she had a wound on her right leg, thusly she couldn't move quickly enough. Minato weighed the options he had and came up with his answer; he was going to help this mysterious blond woman.  
>"Umm, do you mind leaving her alone, it doesn't seem fair that she has to fight both of you." he said to the twins as he made his away in front of the blond woman.<br>"I don't need your help you monkey!" the blond said; she definitely had pride in spades.  
>"Oh, it doesn't matter anyway." Hikari said with a grin on her face.<br>"Hikari, we aren't supposed to hurt civilians." Hibiki reminded her twin sister.  
>"Fine." Hikari said as she and her sister left the boy and the girl alone.<br>"Tha... Thank you." the blond said to Minato with a stutter.  
>"You're welcome, come with me, I'll treat that wound of yours." he said with a smile on my face. She on the other hand had a questioning look on her face. "Don't worry, I wont do anything you don't want and your free to go afterwards." he said with still a smile on his face. After thinking it over, she reluctantly agreed and with Minato's help they set off towards his boarding house.<br>"My name is Sahashi Minato, you can call me Minato if you want." he said to her in a friendly manner. His care and attention brought a deeper shade of red to her cheeks as she looked at the other side.  
>"I'm Tsukiumi." she said to him proudly.<br>"Well Tsukiumi-san, we're here. Let's get you treated." he said to her as he opened his door for her. Tsukiumi didn't plan on this happening, but she was starting to like her ashikabi, even if he wasn't yet.


	2. Now and Forever

It should be known to everyone that Minato's boarding house agreement doesn't allow him to have any female companions to be with him in his room; Tsukiumi is a female and a stunning one at that. His room was modest and he doesn't have a lot of stuff, still his room was small but for a rounin like Minato, it would do. Tsukiumi eyed the place, her eyes darting from one side of the room to the other, probably in an attempt to find an alternative exit path if her host tries anything on her, not that she can kick his ass six ways to Sunday, but it pays to be prepared.  
>"Gomen Tsukiumi-san for taking so long." Minato said when he came out of the bathroom with his first aid kit in hand.<br>"This place is a mess, not even a monkey like you should live here!" Tsukiumi said in that loud and irritated voice of hers, but instead of being insulted or hurt Minato just smiled and agreed with her. 'Warm, my chest is so warm.' she said to herself, she can feel the heat getting hotter and hotter with more time she spends with young man.  
>"I know it's not much but this was home for me for two years." he said as he cleaned out her wound, earning a slight gasp of pain from Tsukiumi as he dabbed some hydrogen peroxide to her wound to further clean it. The blond woman stared at the young man as he continued to work on her; she can slowly feel her defenses being torn down by his kind gentleness and warmth, suddenly the idea of being winged by him didn't sound so bad to her.<br>"Listen Min... Minato." she said his name for the first time which slightly surprised the man in question. "I would like to tha... thank... you... for... everything." she managed to sputter out as her cheeks turned from red to cherry red.  
>"It's alright Tsukiumi-san, I'm glad I could help you." he answered her and looked up, he probably had a big surprise when he saw that his guest was staring at him intently but unlike the last time, her gaze was softer and more adoring. 'The fire is getting hotter, my heart, it'e beating so fast' Tsukiumi noticed as she involuntarily started to lean in to Minato; for his part Minato was surprised that such a beauty would even consider kissing him. Minato's face also became cherry red as he also began to lean in and give in to his want to kiss the oh so gorgeous girl before him, their lips were only a few millimeters apart Minato suddenly pulled out of the kiss leaving Tsukiumi hanging. Realizing the situation that she was in, Tsukiumi straightened herself quickly and turned an irrate look at Minato, which is becoming routine by now.<br>"Hey! How dare you reject me like that you filthy monkey!" she wasn't used to being rejected like that and a part of her ached that Minato wasn't her ashikabi by now; she kept denying it to herself but she was brokenhearted.  
>"I... I'm sorry Tsukiumi-san but I was taught never to take advantage of others. I don't want you to do something that you'll regret." the teachings of his mother was running his mind at that moment. He expected the blond beauty to be extremely angry at him, but when he looked at her her frown was gone, replaced by a small smile, her eyes closed, and her hands on her chest. "Tsukiumi-san?" Minato asked her worriedly, going against his better judgement he went closer to her and gently put an arm on her shoulder. Her eyes snapped open in surprise as this was their first tender physical contact with one another, she shifted her gaze to his hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry." he quickly took his hand away in an attempt to appease her.<br>"It's alright, it's clear to me now, I've been looking for you all this time, my ashikabi." Tsukiumi said to him in a small and lovely voice. He never knew that this violent girl could also harbor such a soft and feminine side, but he knew that he liked her, maybe even loved her.  
>"Tsukiumi-san, what is an ashikabi?" he asked even though he knew that could ruin the mood of the moment, but to his relief Tsukiumi smiled at him for the first time, he thought she has the most amazing smile that he ever saw.<br>"Minato, your my ashikabi, my special person, the one destined to be with me as we both ascend." she said to him happily.  
>"Beautiful." was the only thing that Minato could say at the moment, he hadn't exactly heard her explanation due to the fact that he was utterly mesmerized by her beauty. Tsukiumi heard the complement and she got embarrassed back to her senses, she returned to her normal behavior but this time there wasn't a single hint of distaste in her voice now.<br>"You... you should be honored to accompany me." she said proudly, trying to regain the same tone she had just a few hours ago. Minato only chuckled as he saw how Tsukiumi was flustered, 'she could really be cute and gentle when she wanted to.' he said to himself. "What are you laughing at!" she snarled at him but it already lost its effect, it was very apparent to Minato what Tsukiumi was trying to do and he just smiled his smile at her, which caused her to get even redder. He was going to stand up and cook dinner for the both of them when Tsukiumi held onto his arm as she looked away from him. "I... I don't want you to leave." she said to him faintly.  
>"I'll just be in the kitchen to cook us dinner." he said to her smiling awkwardly. She didn't even hear him as she stood up, grabbed his collar and kissed him. The kiss was more or less one sided, but it was still wonderful. Wings of light appeared on Tsukiumi's back which startled Minato slightly but Tsukiumi still hasn't let her go. Once the need for air was too great she pulled away from him looking highly flushed. Tsukiumi looked at Minato with a mix of embarrassment and happiness.<br>"I'm your's now Minato, now and forever." she recited infront of him, her eyes meeting his.


	3. Claws

Ocean's Heart 3

Claws

Just as any other rounin would react to a gorgeous woman kissing and proclaiming that she was his, Minato was understandably at a loss for words. He hasn't pictured his first kiss to be like this, not that he's complaining or anything; Tsukiumi is a blonde beauty, even though she has her anger problems. The second year failure half expected that his hot tempered guest would snap his neck at any second but instead was surprised by the gentleness of the woman's actions toward him; or rather the way she was now showing affection towards him.

"Tsu-Tsukiumi-san, umm, would you mind explaining what happened?" Minato asked cautiously, not wanting to destroy the mood that was now hanging in the room's atmosphere. Tsukiumi for her part didn't answer but instead nuzzled to her ashikabi's neck. She was contented just to stay in that position for the remainder of the night, and she would have if given the opportunity, but Minato's legs aren't as strong as hers; thus the need to sit down was exercised. "Umm, Tsukiumi-san..." he began but was cut off abruptly.

"Just call me Tsukiumi, or any other terms of endearment you want, I... am your wife after all." She proclaimed, while trying to hide her face deeper into the crook of his neck.

"Gomen Tsukiumi-san, but, is that what you meant by now and forever?" he asked in a calm manner, although his hands were trying to fight between keeping off, or wrapping themselves around his so called wife. She merely nodded and looked at him with her deep ocean blue eyes.

"Do you... not want me Minato?" she asked as her eyes kept on searching her ashikbi's for answers.

"It's not that I don't want you Tsukiumi-san, but why did you choose me?" the years of his mother and sister getting him to always agree to what they wanted and to think of himself less taught him to sell himself short. Looking at the young ashikabi from a far, he isn't something special, but Tsukiumi just couldn't keep herself away from him, and even reacting just on their first meeting.

"Your plenty special Minato, you have a kind heart, which is rare, and you wouldn't hesitate to help someone in need." She said with her eyes closed and her hands over her bountiful bosom. It seemed like a dream for Minato, to him he wasn't special, and in fact he was a failure of a man. He was about to argue back again when his lips were robbed of words when once again Tsukiumi closed the distance between them. Unlike their first kiss, which was fairly one sided, this one had the both of them giving effort into the kiss; for the sekirei it is a moment of utter bliss, it is when her ashikabi and herself are considered to be in sync, to be one. For the ashikabi, it's still surprising as ever, still full of love and heat of passion.

"Darling, please take me." Tsukiumi said to Minato in the most unTsukiumi-like voice he's ever heard. To this request, Minato was stunned. Even if she proclaimed herself as his wife, they have just only met and the thought of them sharing a bed was beyond what he can fathom.

"Tsukiumi-san, would you like some dinner?" He said, desperate to change the subject. Tsukiumi, having realized what she said, abruptly stood up and regained her former demeanour, but to drop the insults when referring to her husband.

"It's good that you've offered me dinner." She tried to regain some of her pride, but she felt like the need was not as great as before. Minato quickly escaped to the kitchen and did a quick survey on what he had to work with; needless to say that what he had was only fit for one. He went back to the living area to ask Tsukiumi if she was alright with having dinner by herself.

"No Minato! Absolutely not. As husband and wife, it is essential that we have dinner together." She vehemently fought. Minato could only smile and scratch the back of his head.

"Would you mind staying here for awhile while I go to the store to buy some food for us?" he asked her again. She wanted to come along, insisting that it isn't safe for him to be going out alone anymore, but with a few reassurances and a lot of pleading, he was finally out of his room. He was on his way to the store when he felt that someone or something was following him. Suddenly, Tsukiumi's concerns weren't looking so paranoid anymore. He kept on looking behind his back but only his shadow was visible, but still he couldn't shake the feeling that someone was coming after him. He finally got to the store and bought all the food that he needed. After paying for his supplies, he was again immersed in the sensation that that he was being followed.

"No one's behind you Minato, it's just your imagination." He assured himself as he kept on his way home to his supposed wife. He couldn't help chuckle at how Tsukiumi's demeanour and attitude could change in an instant, he liked it when she acted shyly, it made her unbearably cute, but he knew that Tsukiumi wouldn't be Tsukiumi without her rash side. As more and more Minato thought, the more he realized that he was already starting to fall for her.

"I think I love her." He whispered to himself, expecting no one to answer.

"That's so sweet." A woman said from behind him. He looked behind and she revealed herself from the shadows, she was equipped with a pair of claws, and her outfit was made up of a black tattered kimono and her body was wrapped in bandages.

"Who... who are you?" he managed to ask.

"Sekirei numer 104, Haihane. Come with me to MBI, I choose you to be our ashikabi." She declared to him in a bored voice.

"But, but I'm already another sekirei's ashikabi." Minato tried to argue that he was taken, in every sense of the word.

"No problem, an ashikabi can have more than one sekirei, and Karasuba would take care of her anyway." She said nonchalantly.

"No, don't hurt her, I'll go with you, just don't hurt her." He pleaded. The way he cared for his sekirei tugged at something within Haihane's heart, but she wanted to win the game, she wanted to find the ashikabi that she would like to be theirs.


	4. Disciplinary Squad

Ocean's Heart 4

Disciplinary Squad

Sekirei number 104, also known as Haihane has the rounin walking for a good half an hour, but despite her 'total lack of care' appearance towards Minato, she is feeling rather hot. No, not that kind of hot, but she does have a body that she can flaunt, as the second year failure is noticing due to his proximity to her. Minato also noted that while her body is covered in bandages, her figure is almost cat-like; he can even describe her movements as fluid and graceful, while Tsukiumi's movements were sudden and unpredictable, not that he didn't like Tsukiumi, quite to the contrary in fact. The second year drop out noticed that they were going towards the center of the city, far away from any hope of rescue from his blonde 'wife'. Yes, he fully accepted it now that he was utterly and irrevocably in love with the temperamental water mistress and he knows that she feels the same.

"So, uhh, Haihane-san, where are you taking me?" Minato asked the clawed reaper.

"To MBI tower, you'll be meeting the rest of the squad there." She replied in a bored tone.

"Gomen for asking but, what squad are you talking about?" he again pried for an answer.

"The Disciplinary Squad." She again replied in an uninterested tone. Sensing that he can't get any more information out of her, he satisfied himself by looking at the sky, the stars are blanketed by clouds, making the current situation gloomier.

Meanwhile, back in Minato's dormitory, Tsukiumi is restless; no doubt due to the apparent absence of her ashikabi and the clock telling her that he should have been back to her half an hour ago. Her mind went through with all the possibilities from him abandoning her, which she quickly dismissed because she sensed that her ashikabi would never do such a horrid thing, to him being captured by another sekirei or worse, being forced to wing another sekirei. Heaven forbid he be followed home by another sekirei, as you see, even though the rules of the sekirei plan does not forbid and even encourage asikabis to wing as many sekirei as possible, she doesn't like the idea of sharing her Minato to any other sekirei, may they be friendly or otherwise; in Tsukiumi's eyes, she is the one and only wife of Minato, and any others would be considered as mistresses and will be dealt with accordingly. The blonde suddenly gets up and walks out of the door, clearly having enough of waiting around and decided to see where Minato is.

Back to the sekirei and ashikabi making their way towards the MBI tower, they have already arrived at the entrance of the building and while Minato looked on in amazement at his surroundings, Haihane quickly, with the speed of a feline, made her way towards the receptionist and asked that both her partners be brought down towards the lobby immediately. A few moments later an elevator came down carrying to women, which caught Minato's eye. Both women came to his location, one was tall and the other was short, the tall one, wearing a faint blue kimono, her hair in a high pony tail, sporting a long katana, and her eyes closed into slits. Not to mention that she has average sized cleavage. The shorter one was wearing a pink kimono, had pink hair, and had no visible weapons on her, but she had gloves that are used in martial arts combat.

"This is who you bring Haihane?" the pink haired one said, her tone disapproving.

"Yare yare, what do we have here, isn't he a little too young for us Haihane?" the tall one said getting closer to Minato, like a hawk would to a mouse, stalking it.

"I like him." Was the only defense that Haihane gave and to her that was all that was needed.

"Fine, at least he didn't freak out like the one you brought in Karasuba." The pink haired sekirei said to the tall one.

"I think having him as our ashikabi would be fun Benitsubasa." The sekirei called Karasuba smiled to the pink haired sekirei.

"Umm, Gomenasai, but what's happening and who are you?" Minato asked the three of them.

"We are the Disciplinary Squad, it is our job to keep all the sekirei in line and to stop them from escaping." answered Karasuba, even though her smile somehow sent chills done Minato's spine, and not the good kind of chills. Haihane, seeing the sight of Minato's attention fully focused on her two comrades, couldn't help but feel left out and jealous, the felling of warmness with in her has grown into a full forced blaze, as her flushed cheeks would identify. This was it for her, she really did it, she is reacting towards him, she found her ashikabi; unknown to her, Benitsubasa was also having the same inferno raging within her, it was like that the first moment she saw him, she knew. Karasuba on the other hand just smiled wider at the sensation she was feeling.

"Enough of the chatting, let's get down to it." Karasuba said as she quickly kissed Minato, her wings being exposed in a shower of light. The other two sekirei, seeing what was happening, felt even more jealous.

"I believe I found him first." Haihane said as she claimed the rounin's lips as hers, her wings of light also erupting in a sea of illumination.

"Don't forget about me, I'm the most feminine." Benitsubasa also locked her lips to his after the first two were finished, her wings also giving off a brilliant light.

"We will serve you and we are yours, now and forever." The three said in unison. Minato could look on in shock at what he is witnessing, three girls, pledging their loyalty to him. He couldn't believe that he, well, they winged themselves to him in quick succession. His phone rang which stopped his train of thought; he answered it and was greeted by the face of Minaka, the director of MBI.

"Congratulations, Sahashi Minato, you have become the ashikabi of the Disciplinary Squad, giving you three powerful pieces to play with. They are your sekirei but I will be giving you assignments from time to time, so make sure you do them if you want to receive payment, which comes in the form of refilling or increasing the amount of money you have at your MBI account, which has already been created." The video call ended and he looked at the trio. Haihane, looking bored, Benitsubasa looking like she could care less, and Karasuba looking like she was finding the whole thing amusing.

"Ummm, it's nice to be your ahikabi, let's all work together ne?" he said with a sheepish smile that immediately melted Haihane and Benitsubasa's stone façade.

After an hour of briefing him of his duties as the ashikabi of the Disciplinary Squad, he was allowed to go home, but not after he was given a special cellphone that directly contacts the trio. Minato, while walking home, had his head down. Realizing only now that he already cheated on Tsukiumi not once but thrice. ' I deserve to be drowned by Tsukiumi.' he thought to himself.

"MINATO!" he heard someone call his name and when he turned around, he was tackled by Tsukiumi.

"How dare you, making me worry so much, I thought some other sekirei captured you." to that he only scratched his head as he really was captured by another sekirei.

"Where have you been husband? I thought… I thought you… you were only going to get dinner, but you were with some other wom… woman weren't you?" Minato heard her stutter and he looked up from the ground and saw Tsukiumi shed tears for the first time. That's when he knew he had to keep the events that have transpired a secret from her, he hated lying, but if it was to protect his blonde angel, he'd gladly do it. He wanted to show her that he truly loved her and would never leave her, so he did the only thing he could do, he kissed her. He'd do anything not to see his wife cry again if he could help it.


	5. Shock

Ocean's Heart- Sekirei fanfiction

Shock

(A few weeks after the last chapter)

Life for the second year rounin just became a whole lot more complicated, not that he was complaining of course. Many a time his secret was almost found out by his lovely water sekirei. Minato is really not a person that is a natural liar, and thus he has to be on his toes regularly whenever he thinks that Tsukiumi is close. He loved Tsukiumi, his self proclaimed wife, dearly and it sends pain down his chest and entire body to keep on lying to her. 'I have to tell her soon' his conscience keeps pestering him, but his above average intellect and common sense gives a hefty fight of 'Do you think she'll forgive you?' While Minato was lost in his thoughts, a certain blonde water mistress was at the roof of their new home; it came to a surprise to her to suddenly move from a modest apartment to a fully stocked, multi-yen worth condominium. She has tried several times to ask her so called husband about the sudden change but he just keep on replying that she deserved better. Of course it warmed her heart to see her ashikabi finally acknowledge her as his true wife, not only with his words but his almost daily gifts. At first she thought it was just a onetime occurrence since she knew about his budget limitations, but the sudden and steady influx of designer clothes, jewelry, and perfumes shook her to her core.

Yes she enjoyed the luxuries and made her blind for awhile; that is before she accidentally opened Minato's cell phone and saw three contacts; normally that would have been fine, but in this case those three contacts were the only ones listed in the phone's memory and when she tried to open the contacts it was password protected. Tsukiumi's alarm bells went off inside her head that Minato had some secrets that he wasn't sharing with her. Her musings were cut short when she saw her husband wearing a rather expensive looking suit leaving their condo unit, and to her surprise he was texting on his cell phone. Against her better judgment, she followed him; she knew that as a loyal wife she should have more trust in her ashikabi, but his almost clockwork giving of gifts and the steady distance growing between them provided all the initiative she needed to snoop around.

"I trust you Minato, I trust you" she said, trying to reassure herself that everything was fine and she was just blowing things out of proportion; but her gut told her otherwise. Her heart clenched at the thought of Minato fooling around with other women, or worse other sekirei. She unknowingly grabbed her chest tight, trying to physically stop her heart from pounding sporadically from the thought. 'He wouldn't do that to me would he?... Would he?' for the first time in their short union, she felt a true sense of doubt and dread; these feelings were new to her and she did not like them in the slightest.

Back towards Minato, he was given a new order by Minaka on such short notice, normally the disciplinary squad's missions would be done in the cover of night, but this was the first time he was called in the middle of the day with a very high possibility of getting caught by his beloved Tsukiumi. His thoughts wandered on the blonde beauty and a smile crept on his face as he remembered their first time together; but as fast as it came it left him, being replaced by the image of Tsukiumi crying and walking out on him because of his secret.

"I'm so sorry Tsukiumi. I truly am sorry." He said to himself silently. How he wished he could tell her what he has been doing, the source of his new found wealth, to come back to his once simple wife with her. His hands were tainted now, with blood, and the touch of other sekirei's bodies, namely his three girls in the disciplinary squad, Haihane, Benitsubasa, and Karasuba.

The text message that he got from Minaka was short, it only contained the word 'come'. As the ashikabi of the disciplinary squad, he had no choice but to meet the girls and see what the MBI director wanted. As he rounded the corner he saw a black luxury car waiting for him, as he opened the door he saw that all the members of the disciplinary squad were sitting inside, waiting for him. Haihane looked bored, Benitsubasa seemed like she couldn't care less, and Karasuba sa busy damping her katana with a cotton ball, but their demeanors, Haihane and Benitsubasa's, changed instantly when they saw him. They both practically raced each other to sit next to him first. Karasuba on the other hand only watched the spectacle with amusement.

"Yare Yare, Min-chan; you're quite the ladies man." The sekirei in the faint blue kimono commented.

Unknown to the unlucky or lucky ashikabi, whichever way you want to look at it, Tsukiumi saw him get in the car and that action triggered her anger. She was sure that Minato had other women now, the spectacle with the two girls proved that, but she still refused to believe he went willingly. Sadly she didn't get a good view who the hussies were.

"They must have used some kind of medicine, Minato is only mine." She said to herself in denial. She tailed the black car until it came to a stop at a fancy hotel. She vaguely remembers this hotel but can't seem to put her finger on it. When Minato came out of the vehicle he was soon followed by three women, all of them wearing varying colors of kimono; she instantly recognized the trio as sekirei number 04, number 104, and number 105; the dreaded disciplinary squad. Tsukiumi realized that Minato must have been captured somehow as that would explain why he was with the three.

She quickly thought of a course of action and decided that a direct confrontation would be the best way to get her Minato back. She was so much focused on her chosen task that she neglected to see that an MBI agent was getting close to her six o'clock. When she finally realized that someone was behind it was too late and she was stunned, electricity and water don't mix. The man called the attention of the three sekirei with Minato; she thought that has given him the chance to run away, to her shock he came with the three. Her eyesight was becoming faded as the current kept on pulsing through her system; she knew that a blackout was in the works.

"Minato… run." She said to him faintly. Said ashikabi only looked at her with regret and shame. This confused her for a few milliseconds then it all clicked together.

"No… Min…ato, i-i-it can't be." She stuttered, her anger and grief rising to new levels, and with that lethal cocktail of emotions she was able to fight through the stunner.

"I… I'm sorry Tsukiumi-san." He looked away from her, unable to stare into her blue orbs.

"This is a joke right Minato?" she started to say hysterically. "You would never…" she didn't get to finish her sentence as one by one, the sekirei of the disciplinary squad kissed her husband and went to his side in a stance ready to take her on.

"Yare Yare, you never told us you had number 09 Min-chan." Karasuba said.

"I'm prettier than her, aren't I Minato-kun" Benitsubasa chimed in.

"I'm…" Haihane needed a few seconds to think. "calmer than her." She settled on her attribute.

Tsukiumi couldn't believe what she was seeing and hearing, her ashikabi, her husband, her love; her Minato was also the ashikabi of the dreaded Disciplinary Squad. The only thing left in the blonde water mistress was shock.


	6. New Member

Ocean's Heart- Sekirei fanfiction

New Member

Tsukiumi couldn't process what she was seeing and hearing at the moment. She refused to believe that her Ashikabi, her kind, gentle, and loving Ashikabi could also be the Ashikabi of the deadly Disciplinary Squad. The water user just stared intently at Minato, desperately searching his eyes for any sign of deception, or fallacies, or whether this was just a sick joke, anything that would explain in her mind what was unfolding before her unbelieving eyes. Minato could only avert his eyes from her; he didn't want to let her see what he has done during his tenure as the master of the dogs of MBI. He wasn't the same guy anymore, he has seen too many things to remain that way, but still, his sense of right and wrong would never erode, nor would his love for his wife.

"What should we do to her Min-chan?" the black sekirei asked her ashikabi.

"I say we lock her up." added Benitsubasa; who was, despite the situation, covering her modest chest at the sight of Tsukiumi's large breasts. Haihane for her part was observing the situation, albeit in a bored manner; but that doesn't mean she doesn't have ideas, most of which involved the use of her claws.

Minato could be compared to a deer caught in the headlights of a car. He stood unmoving as Karasuba's question knocked all the air out of him. It hadn't occurred to him before that he was supposed to remain unidentified at least until the second stage. Deep inside the second year rounin's head his brain was going in overdrive; he desperately tried to think of a way to save Tsukiumi from her fate. The black haired teenage boy knew of Tsukiumi's sense of justice, and in all honesty, it was one of the things that attracted him to her, but the only thing that he could think of was to make her into a member of the Disciplinary Squad.

"Minna, lets's get inside. Tsukiumi will be staying with me." he said as he looked directly into the eyes of his other three sekirei. The tone he used was typical of him; it was gentle yet it carried an air of authority; the only time he had used it was when he and his squad were out on missions. Tsukiumi, upon hearing her husband's tone of voice was shocked, although this time in a good way; she has never heard him like that and it turned her on a little. Granted she preferred his normal demeanor but still, and authoritative Minato was something she could get used to. The three sekirei who were standing nodded their head with Haihane and Benitsubasa blushing slightly as they entered the hotel.

"Tsukiumi, come on, let's get you inside." Minato said to his water sekirei as hehelped her up. Tsukiumi quickly batted away his hands before standing up on her own power. The ashikabi only sighed as he watched her. "I'm so sorry. I- I never wanted you to get hurt." He continued on, his eyes downcast.

"Why Minato? I thought you loved me? I thought I was the only sekirei for you." She stated, salty droplets starting to form on the sides of her eyes.

"I do Tsukiumi, I do love you, I love you so much, but-" he didn't get the chance to finish as he was cut off by a hysterical blonde. Tsukiumi was not one to be dramatic but what she has just went through shook her to her core.

"But what? You grew tired of me? You chose to do shameless actions with them?" she shouted at him. Minato has never seen her like this and he didn't like it one bit. It wasn't the shouting he didn't like; it was the hurt that his precious beau was feeling.

"No." he said simply as he stared into her ocean blue orbs. "You are the only one I love like that." He stopped for a while, swallowing the lump forming in his throat. "I mean I love the others, but you're the only one I think of as a wife." He said honestly, his hand rubbing the back of his head.

"Then why are you with them?" Tsukiumi replied in a much more calm voice.

"I'll tell you inside." He replied as he led her towards his suite inside the hotel.

"So, manly." A feminine figure said as she watched from a building near. There was no doubt that the rounin stirred feelings inside her chest, she could feel her temperature starting to rise.

Minato was telling the story of how he became the ashikabi of the Disciplinary Squad to Tsukiumi.

"I knew it! You would never do something like this!" raged Tsukiumi as she heared how he was forced into his current position. She was starting to get up and give the other three members of his flock a piece of her mind about who was legal wife. The Ashikabi of the North, as he was called by other Ashikabis, could only smile at his wife's temperament. It was only half an hour so ago that she was in hysterics and now she was ready to enter a scrap.

"Calm down Tsukiumi. It wasn't all bad. Without I wouldn't be able to give you what you deserve." Minato tried to calm the water mistress down. Tsukiumi looked at him incredulously.

"You-you have-haven't had s-se-" she tried to blurt out, her cheeks turning a deep red.

"NO!" came Minato's emphatic reply.

"Good." Tsukiumi let out a sigh of relief. Minato looked into the blonde sekirei's eyes once more and she looked back at him.

"Join me Tsukiumi… I mean I won't force you into doing some of the things that we do, but it's the only way to keep you safe." He said seriously.

"I will my husband." She replied as she cupped his cheek. "I would do anything for you." She kissed him, making her wings of light appear. Minato smiled widely at her once their lips were separated. Tsukiumi's blush deepened and she felt the need to add something to her statement. "Of course I have to show those three that you are only mine and I am the only legal wife." She beamed at him.

Normally, Tsukiumi wouldn't have dared to join something that violated her code of honor, but seeing that Minato was with the Disciplinary Squad she had no choice but to joined. She would never admit it to anyone but she was afraid that she wasn't there with him; he would be stolen from her, probably by number 04. She could feel the deep affection that the silver haired katana wielding sekirei had for Minato, even if it was hidden.

As nighttime came, Minato introduced Tsukiumi to the others as the new member to their squad. Needless to say Benitsubasa wasn't happy, for one she didn't want another rival for her ashikabi's attention and second, Tsukiumi far outclassed her in the chest department. Haihane was actually smiling; she already liked the blonde water mistress because she was stron and would help to annoy sekirei number 105. Karasuba on the other hand observed at the back.

"Yare yare Min-chan, you are quite the ladies man." She stated which earned the scarlet face of the mentioned ashikabi.


	7. Bloody Love

Ocean's Heart- Sekirei fanfiction

Bloody Love

The first few weeks of incorporating Tsukiumi into the squad could be compared to forcing a square into a circular opening. The blonde water mistress simply would not take the life of someone innocent, even if that said innocent life was virtual-made. Minato couldn't help but slam his palm to his face after the numerous failures that his 'wife' was committing; it would seem to him that her sense of justice was far too strong for her to be utilized as MBI's newest killing machine. It wouldn't be normally be any cause for problems for the rounin but a big mission was about to take place, which would involve an unsavory amount of assassinations.

Tsukiumi for her part was giving it her all to try and accept her new role as a member of the Disciplinary Squad, but she simply couldn't get the job done. All the scenarios that she was tested on ended up with either herself being injured, failing to kill the target, or the worst of all, the death of her beloved ashikabi. It also bothered her greatly that her 'husband' would increasingly spend time with number 04; Minato maybe unaware of the black sekirei's affections, but she wouldn't be fooled. The blonde bombshell could do nothing but worry that her position as the 'legal wife' would be challenged by the silver haired, katana wielding killing machine; she knew that Minato was a peaceful soul but he was still a male, and all males were vulnerable to a woman's assets. Needless to say, she would do everything in her power to prevent her position to be usurped. Tsukiumi gave it her all in training, and finally, finally, she managed to complete a training scenario; but her success was drowned by the guilt she felt. The training program's completion left her with a bad taste in her mouth.

The ashikabi of the Disciplinary Squad couldn't sleep; after all it was the eve before they were deployed. Every mission that he and his squad have completed, he would always be like this. He would be unable to sleep not due to nervousness but fear for his girls. True that he held Tsukiumi in a special place in his heart, but he also loved the other girls in his squad. Haihane with her aloof personality and cat-like demeanor; Benitsubasa with her straightforwardness and feminine attitude; and finally Karasuba and her strong personality. It may seem like an unlikely pair, but Minato and Karasuba were the closest in the squad, which did nothing to help quench the jealousy felt by the other two original members. Yes, the black sekirei would indeed beat up her ashikabi, but to the very observant, one could tell that it was her way of showing affection. She would punch him the gut and then proceed to tenderly stroke his cheek when he was knocked out, careful to not hurt him anymore. As the second year failure thought about his squad and his wife, a certain pair was having a conversation of their own.

The water sekirei was standing on the veranda of her room; Minato insisted that she have her own room to prevent any 'unwanted attention' from 'arising'. She felt a breeze as she was staring at the moon, immediately she turned around with her water blade at the ready only for her to see her teammate, Karasuba.

"What do you want?" the water mistress spat out rather scathingly at her companion.

"Yare yare, why so hostile Tsu-chan?" the katana wielding sekirei said with that smile of hers.

"Don't call me that!" Tsukiumi shrieked; she knew that she had to reason to shout, but this was the woman she considered as her main rival for her Minato's heart. The personality of Karasuba changed all of a sudden, gone was her smile to be replaced by seriousness.

"Don't screw up tomorrow. I'll kill you if anything happens to Min-chan because of you." was her cold reply to the blonde.

"How dare you?! I am the one and only wife. You have no righ…" the water user couldn't finish her sentence as she found her neck suddenly threatened by a sharp katana.

"I don't care as to what you call yourself, but once this is all said and done, I would be the one with Minato got it?" she said looking directly into blue orbs. Tsukiumi only smirked at her declaration.

"Over my dead body. I will not just hand my Minato to anyone. I would gladly fight you for him." the blonde answered her rival. Karasuba smiled and lifted her katana away from the neck of her teammate.

"I will hold you to that." she said as she made her way out. A new kind of determination made it into Tsukiumi's eyes,' she would not let Karasuba or any other woman, be it a sekirei or a human to steal her Minato.

Dawn came and the squad departed their headquarters. Minato had divided the squad into two, with Haihane and Benitsubasa to lead the charge and Tsukiumi, Karasuba, and himself would carry out the mission proper. The ashikabi could not believe what he was seeing from his two sekirei, it was like they were competing, trying to one-up each other; he was further into shock when his 'wife' killed her first victim. He looked at her with awe and amazement; when he changed his attention to his number 2, he found her enjoying herself as she continues to slash and slice her way through the enemy's defenses. The mission was over before it even started; Minato himself didn't even get the chance to draw his new pistol from its holster.

"That was boring." the katana wielding sekirei called out, slashing her sword in the air to remove the blood. Tsukiumi in the other hand was in shock, she could not believe what she had done. She allowed herself to kill, worst of all she didn't feel anything when she tore through flesh and bone. Minato, noticed his number 1's distressed made his way to her.

"Karasuba-san, could you get the others and tell them to meet up at the rendezvous point. Tsukiumi and I will meet you guys there." he said to her authoritatively. Karasuba merely nodded and went out through the window in search for her other teammates.

"Tsukiumi-san, are you alright?" he tentatively asked his sekirei and all he got was a distraught Tsukiumi who had clung herself tightly to him, as if she would be lost without his presence.

"I-I-I killed them…" was her reply. Minato rubbed her back in the attempt to soothe her.

"It's okay Tsukiumi, I'm here." was all he could offer. "I'm so sorry." he added.

"N-no, it is fine. I would get used to this." she said, but it was more like she was trying to encourage herself.

"No, no you won't. No one ever does." he replied in a tired tone. "I swear Tsukiumi, I will never let you do any of these things again." He hugged her tightly as she also wrapped her arms around him.

"Thank you." was her reply. Minato pulled back slightly to see his wife's face. What he saw were her eyes that were shining and her lips that were trembling. Slowly he kissed her as if willing all her guilt to go away. The two lovers would stay lip-locked until the need for air became overwhelming.

"I love you." Minato declared to his beau.

"I love you too. I would do anything for you." Tsukiumi replied. With that the two of them departed the scene of carnage hand in hand. Somehow, something good came out of all of this. If anything, their relationship only got stronger. That is until the next mission comes along, that is when Tsukiumi would finally understand the true meaning of what she has said to Karasuba. That is when her real fight would begin.


	8. Unexpected

One privilege that Tsukiumi enjoyed above the other members of Minato's flock is that she got to share the bed with the said ashikabi; this fact should have made her happy, but sadly it just reminded her that if she makes one single mistake that then number 4 would use her as a sharpening tool for her nodachi. The blonde beauty's trouble wasn't unnoticed by the second year rounin as he watched her every expression since she entered his room.

"Gomen Tsukiumi-san, what's bothering you?" asked the black-haired ashikabi.

"No- nothing husband, what would make you say that something is bothering me?" retorted back the water sekirei. She couldn't tell him that Karasuba had the same feelings she was feeling for him, afraid that if he learned this information, her husband may leave her in favor of the more powerful black sekirei. Tsukiumi averted her eyes from his to hide the tears that were threatening to come down, but despite her efforts her supposed husband saw them and quickly lifted her face up to meet his.

"There is no need to lie to me Tsukiumi-san, please tell me what's bothering you." He looked into her ocean blue orbs, trying to figure out was causing his beloved's anguish. After the both of them stared into each other's eyes, the water user finally cracked and told him about everything. Minato just listened to her plight and tried to comfort her as best he can. This was a completely new side of his 'wife', this was worse than her outburst when she had learned that he was the ashikabi of the Disciplinary Squad.

"Please don't leave me." Tsukiumi suddenly said in a vulnerable tone, looking desperately into her husband's eyes.

"What makes you think I'd leave my darling wife behind?" was the reply that the object of the blonde's affections.

"Karasuba… she is far stronger than me… if she…" the distressed beauty couldn't finish her sentence, no, she could not bear the thought of seeing her beloved Minato go to another woman or sekirei, her pride would not allow it, her nature would not allow it, more importantly her heart would not allow it. Minato didn't answer her with words, but instead with action; with a previous unknown inner strength, ironically enough brought to him by the intense training with Karasuba and the other Disciplinary Squad members, he did the thing he dare not do before, he hit Tsukiumi, though it was nothing more than a slap on the face that barely hurt the sekirei it still snapped the world back into focus for the hysterical blonde.

"I'm sorry for hitting you, but you have to realize that no matter who my sekirei would be, no matter how much stronger they are, you will always be my number one, my very first partner, my wife." At this he flashed her that smile of his that would always cause her heart to skip a beat. "Ano- I- I love you" he added on, this time a much more noticeable blush appeared on his cheek.

"I love you too my husband." was her reply before she took his lips in hers in a passionate kiss that erupted her bright wings to appear on her back. Things went on from there and before both could stop what would happen they found themselves beneath the covers with a distinct lack of clothing, tired but both happy that they just showed each other how much they mean to one another.

The couple's utopia would never last though as the next morning, a mission came for them, it was a nasty one, there was a report of a sekirei and her ashikabi trying to escape the city, so naturally the Disciplinary Squad was needed to 'remind' the pair of what the rules say to that. As Minato and his flock of sekirei neared the bridge they spotted what looked like their targets, with a heavy heart and conscience that the black-haired rounin mercilessly stomped out he ordered his girls to deal with the problem. The sekirei never even had a chance against one of them, never mind four.

Karasuba had a smile on her face, clearly showing that she was finding this amusing, Haihane looked bored as usual, Benitsubasa looked at the cowering figure, of what they identified to be as number 95 named Kuno, with distaste, while Tsukiumi looked like she pitied the poor girl, yes she didn't agree about their running away from the fight but going to be taken out was crossing the line in her opinion. Just as Karasuba was about to strike with her nodachi, Minato stopped her.

"Ne Karasuba-san, let's not shed blood, not today, I think these two have learned their lesson." the ashikabi of the Disciplinary Squad suggested to the black sekirei.

"Yare yare, going soft now are we Min-chan" was the reply from the bloodthirsty sword wielder with a chorus of agreements from Haihane and Benitsubasa who returned their attention back towards their target. Quickly Minato had to diffuse the situation before he lost control of it.

"I- I just think it's not worth the time dirty your sword Karasuba-san." He quickly lied.

"I'll indulge you for now Min-chan." said the killing machine back to her ashikabi. Kuno and her ashikabi were allowed to escape on the condition that they no longer try to escape, with the pair looking grateful towards Minato they hurriedly ran from the bridge and from the deadly quartet of sekirei.

The black-haired ashikabi ordered all of his sekirei to return to the tower first, saying that he wanted to take a walk by himself for a few hours. This was met with objections from 3 of his 4 sekirei but ultimately he persuaded them to go. He decided to take walk along the north of the city, seeing that the bridge was closer to it than any other part of the city. The peace he sought from the walk gave him time to think about what has become of his once simple life and if he regretted ever becoming involved in the world of sekirei. Honestly he wouldn't change it for the world, even becoming the ashikabi of the Disciplinary Squad as loved all of his sekirei.

Deep in thought was he while walking that he inadvertently bumped into someone, who dropped the shopping bags they were holding; he helped to pick up the groceries and gave them to the lady. She looked like a teenager herself but her kimono made her look older, she had long purple hair that matches the kimono she was wearing.

"Gomenasai, I wasn't looking where I was going." Minato bowed to her in apology.

"Oh, it's quite alright, Sahashi Minato, ashikabi of the Disciplinary Squad." she replied in a tone that could be described as pleasant but with an undertone of malice. The ashikabi's eyes went wide as he stared at the woman.

"You, you're not a…" he didn't get a chance to finish his statement as she cut him off.

"Don't worry I won't hurt you. My name is Asama Miya, the landlady of Izumo Inn, and sekirei number 1. I would like to discuss things with you about you're mistreatment of…" this time it was Miya's turn to be interrupted.

"I would never do that to my sekirei!" Minato quickly defended himself. "I know how it sounds coming from me, but I don't want to hurt anyone or any sekirei." he continued on. A heat that Miya thought she'd never feel again was brought out into her system. She had reacted to him, and it was a strong reaction too. Before she could stop herself she winged herself to him. Shock was evident on both their faces a purple wings of light was visible on her back.

"Let us talk inside my inn, seeing that I will be with you, now and forever." his newest sekirei declared.


	9. Talk

The inside of the inn operated by sekirei number 1 could be described as homey. If it weren't for the fact that Minato already had a good lodging at MBI then he would have loved to stay. Not to mention that it now houses one of his sekirei; granted that she is fairly new to his flock; he could not shake from his mind how beautiful Miya is, in all her simplistic glory.

The very subject of the young ashikabi's musings is sitting in front of him across the table, staring at him intently; the second year ronin could swear a giant hanya mask was floating behind the landlady.

"Now, Minato-kun, I want to talk to you about your activities." she said in a stern voice, not giving any room for argument. Miya herself could sense that her ashikabi isn't a bad person at heart, but being the ashikabi of the Disciplinary Squad also means that he should have shady part of his personality.

"Ano, what do you mean Miya-san?" the black haired young man asked with his right hand scratching the back of his head. He knew she was referring to his MBI activities, and truth be told, he wasn't proud of what he and his squad have done, especially to his beloved Tsukiumi.

"Please don't play dumb, I know you're committing atrocities as the dog of that wretched company." The purple haired beauty declared with her hanya mask growing bigger. The reminder of the awful things that Minato has done struck him like a lightning bolt, making the pit in his stomach due to guilt get ever deeper. The second year ronin bowed his head in shame as the memories came flooding back t him in one go, tears starting to spill. He acted tough during their missions and made himself almost immune to the vileness of their line of work. Almost. Now, in the presence of his newest sekirei, he finally broke down, the full strain of things buckling his resolve.

Miya, who expected her ashikabi to start defending his actions but instead wholeheartedly accepted the blame, was in emotional turmoil. She may be new to his flock, but she still cared for him as would any of his sekirei; on one hand she was happy that she caused the return of emotion to her ashikabi, on the other she did not like that she was the source of his anguish.

"I admit it, we… I did a lot of horrible things. I… Gomen Miya-san, looks like I'm not fit to be an ahikabi that you would be proud to call your own." Minato said in a broken voice while slowly getting up to show himself the door but was promptly stopped by his sekirei.

"What you have done, and your admission of those things, shows me that you are more than enough to be my ashikabi Minato." With that statement she kissed her distressed ashikabi, making her purple wings of light appear once more.

Minato found himself back on his place by the table as Miya started to share her story to her ashikabi, not leaving a single detail out. The start of the sekirei plan to the present day, nothing was left out of the tale of the purple haired sekirei. At the end of her story, the ashikabi of the Disciplinary Squad understood a whole lot more of the sekirei plan than before. One thing is for sure, he is happy that he now has Miya on his side; who he deemed as the strongest sekirei of all. He then proceeded to tell his story, from his failure to get into Tokyo University for two straight years, meeting Tsukiumi, falling in love for her, and also his other girls. The ashikabi now knew of Miya's history with Karasuba, and thought whether or not they could coexist with one another again.

"Um, Miya-san…"

"Just Miya is fine Minato." The sekirei corrected.

"Miya, about Karasuba." That was all he needed to say for the queen of sekireis to understand what he meant.

"I would have to work with her, if I must, but not for MBI, only for you." The sekirei goddess stated. Minato let out a sigh of relief before he realized another probem. 'How would Tsukiumi react about this?' he thought in his mind. As if reading his thought process Miya assured him that she does not intend to get in between him and Tsukiumi, only that he spend some time with her just like his other sekirei.

The clock now read it was very late and no doubt Tsukiumi and his other sekirei would be worried about him, since his phone ran out of battery a long time ago.

"Miya, would you like to come with me to MBI? That is, uh, I mean, where my other sekirei reside." He stuttered, what he just said sounded like he wanted to take her home like an escort.

"No Minato, I would never enter that building again, I will stay here, but you only need to call me when you need me, and I will be by your side my ashikabi, now and forever." She slipped a piece of paper with the inn's number in his pocket and proceeded to give him a kiss that was more passionate than before, which almost lead into something all together different.

The ashikabi of the Disciplinary Squad found himself walking the streets back to his team. He rejected Miya, not because he didn't like her, but because he thought of Tsukiumi at the time. He promised to make it up to his ruffled sekirei and got out of the inn. His mind was in shambles, currently there were three women who held his utmost affection; the most would obviously be Tsukiumi, second would be Miya, and third would be Karasuba. That doesn't mean that he doesn't like his other sekirei, but these three held special places in his heart. The ronin finally reached his room shared with Tsukiumi, only to find that the blonde water user has already fallen asleep. 'She looks so beautiful.' He thought as he went to get a shower, forgetting to bring his jacket with him.

The sound of water falling woke up the blonde bombshell. She looked around and saw a light coming from the bathroom.

"Minato is finally home." She said to herself happily. She saw his jacket and hugged it against herself, taking in the scent of her beloved; but what she sensed was another, unfamiliar scent. Tsukiumi's eyes widened in horror as she realized that the scent belonged to another woman; she shook her head, thinking that it must have gotten on her husband some other way, until she reached for the jacket pocket and pulled out a piece of paper with a woman's number. Tears finally rolled down the water user's cheeks as she concluded that her husband was having an affair behind her back.


	10. Misunderstanding

The sight that greeted the black-haired ashikabi as he went out of the bathroom was his wife bawling her eyes out as she clutched his jacket as if it was her lifeline. The look on the water user's face as enough to shatter the man's heart. Minato, not knowing the cause of his most beloved sekirei's distress, slowly walked up to her totally bewildered his current predicament; he was never good with women in tears with his instinct telling him to apologize to Tsukiumi.

Tsukiumi for her part had sensed when her husband, if she could still call him that, had entered their bedroom but instead of acknowledging his presence she chose to ignore him choosing instead to pour out the immense pain she is feeling. She hoped that he would just go away as his very presence was like a needle being repeatedly pricked on her still raw, bleeding heart. The water mistress even now couldn't understand why her ashikabi would do this to her; she has endured Minato having other sekirei knowing that he was only forced into taking them as his own, but this was his own choosing. According to her judgment which was shrouded by grief and misery he deemed her unfit to be by his side; this conclusion brought about a fresh wave of melancholy to wash over her.

"Tsukiumi-san, uhm, what's wrong?" asked the source of torment for the blonde, unknowing that he himself has brought the grief of his beloved. Upon hearing his words Tsukiumi looked at him with red, puffy eyes and a wounded look. She wanted to yell, to curse, to hurt him, but she couldn't even muster a reply.

Silence was not a good thing, the ashikabi determined and sought to press further in order to find out what's wrong with his love. "Please Tsukiumi-san, tell me what's wrong, I could-" was as far as the male could say because the water sekirei finally snapped and slapped him though the action lacked any real force but it still stunned the clueless man.

"Who…" Tsukiumi finally said in a low voice that Minato couldn't hear. The ashikabi meanwhile was still in a daze and proceeded to ask his sekirei what did he do to earn her act of hate.

"Why did you slap me Tsukiumi-san? What did I do?" he asked cluelessly.

"Who is she? Who is your harlot?" the water user finally found her voice, trying to hide behind her pride due to her weakened emotional state.

"Ne, what do you mean?" was the reply she got. She couldn't believe he could be one of them, she had thought that he was different from the other men that her adjuster told her about. She believed that Minato wasn't a cheater that would only say nice things to a girl just to get to bed, yet here he was lying to her face about his mistress.

"Please Minato, tell me why? Why would you cheat on me? Why would you go to another woman behind my back? Are the other three not enough for you? I have put up with having to share my ashikabi but not this. Not this…" the blonde broke down again, her wall of pride once more crashing down to reveal a vulnerability that was thought not to exist within sekirei number 8.

"I would never-" Minato started but was stopped when he was shown a piece of paper in Tsukiumi's hands. One thing was for sure, he may be an entrance exam failure twice but he was certainly not dumb. He pieced together the events and concluded that Miya had probably slipped him her number into his jacket with her scent being transferred to the article of clothing. "I guess you found out about Miya." He dejectedly said.

Hearing his confession, her remaining inhibitions cracked and she fell further into despair, desperate for comfort, for this nightmare to be nothing more than a nightmare. She wanted to wake up and look to her side to see her husband beside her, his body intertwined with hers.

"Do… do you love her?" she asked, maybe because she was so distraught she didn't know what she was asking anymore or she was secretly a masochist; the answer would only bring more pain.

"Yes." Like an arrow to her heart. "But I love you more Tsukiumi-san, more than anyone else." Minato continued. He knew those exact words were used by serial adulterers but those were the truth; she is and always will be his beloved. "Please let me explain." He continued, pleading that the misunderstanding between them would be solved. The blonde beauty proceeded to nod her head, she had the right to know anyway.

"Her name is Miya, she well, she is a sekirei, she's number 1 infact." He said as he verbally introduced his newest sekirei to his oldest. Tsukiumi's reaction was of relief and shock, another sekirei, she could easily enforce her status as Minato's one and only wife but with Miya being number 1, she didn't like her chances at all. As the ashikabi continued to tell his tale, the blonde slowly reigned in her emotions and started to logically process all the information without the clout of horrible feelings. At the end of the Minato's explanation she understood everything, though it didn't mean that she expresses great enthusiasm at his new acquisition.

"I'm sorry, I know you don't like it when I get a new sekirei, but I didn't-" he got the wind squeezed out of him as his wife encased him in a tight hug.

"Minato, please tell me I'm the only one in your heart." Tsukiumi pleaded, she needed the reassurance.

"I- gomen Tsukiumi-san, you can't be the only one in my heart but I promise you that Tsukiumi-san is the one I love most." He told her. She knew he would answer that way, he was to kind to shut out his other sekirei, but maybe, and just maybe she could keep the majority of his heart for herself. She looked up at him and with eyes as deep as the sea, the most beautiful pair in Minato's opinion, she kissed him making her wings of light appear.

"Thank you Minato, my husband." She said after she broke away from his lips. The two soon found themselves laying on their bed with the woman using her husband's chest as a pillow and her arms around him possessively. The pair initiated small talk but soon succumbed to the exhaustion that blanketed them.

Minato was having a good sleep when he felt that his phone was vibrating, he opened his eyes and retrieved his device to see that an unknown number has sent him a text.

'Go to the wharf' were the words shown in the screen. He looked to his wife and contemplated whether or not to wake her or let her sleep. The ashikabi reasoned with himself that she needed the rest and didn't want his other sekirei to wake up just for him decided to go alone. He slowly made his way out of bed, careful not to wake the water user, got dressed and went out of MBI building. He drove one of the vehicles allocated for the Disciplinary Squad to the mentioned wharf; but unknown to the raven-haired man he was in the cross-hairs of a marksman the minute he went out of his car.

"Is anyone there? I got your message." He called out into seemingly empty space. He was about to go back in his vehicle when a person appeared wearing an expensive looking suit. "Who are you?" Minato asked the mysterious person.

"I am Higa, an ashikabi like you and this" Higa motioned into air beside him suddenly appearing from the shadows a tan haired woman with a sekirei crest on her forehead "is Akizu." He introduced. Sensing that his life was in peril Minato tried to talk his way out of a conflict.

"It is illegal for a sekirei to hurt an ashikabi," Minato said.

"True, but the rules never said anything about this." "BANG." Minato dropped to the floor, a pool of his own blood starting to accumulate. Higa reached for his phone and congratulated someone; with a final look at the fallen ashikabi he laughed and disappeared from sight. Minato's own was fading until there was nothing but darkness.

AN: Hey guys, I know it's been a very long time since I updated and there really is no excuse for it. I have to admit that writing has become more of a chore for me but I'm trying to regain my muse. Please tell me what do you think of this chapter and the direction that the story is going in. See you in the hopefully not too distant future.


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